Christian h



(No Model.)

C. EHANSEN.

UNDERGROUND TELEGRAPH LINE.

No. 267,883. Patented NOVQZl, 1882.

W'ITN'ESSES N. rETERi. mwmmlmpnr. wamingm. D4 c UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

CHRISTIAN HANSEN, OF VVA-SHINGTON, DISTRICT CF COLUMBIA. l

UNDERGROUND TELEGRAPH-LINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 267,883, dated November 21, 1852. Application tiled November 29, 188i. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHRISTIAN H. HANSEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, in the county of Washington and District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvemcntsin Underground Telegraph-Lines, of which the following' is a speciiicatiomreference being had therein to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure lis a vertical cross-section, and Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both figures.

This invention relates to underground telegraph-lines, and it contemplates certain improvements in the construction of the same, having for their objects reduction in"'the cost of laying such lines, affording facilities for the inspection and repair (when necessary) of the wires, and an arrangement whereby the wires of the line, while occupying but small space, shall be well separated and isolated, substantiallyaswillbehereinaftermorefully described, and particularly pointed out in the claim.

Referring to the drawings hereto anhexed, A represents an inverted-trough-shaped or semi-cylindrical shell constituting one of the supports or holders for the wires of my improved telegraph-line. This shell or support, which may bel of any suitable dimensions, I prefer to make of terra-cotta, which, in order to render it hard, smooth, and impervious to moisture, should be glazed and baked hard. I would have it understood, however, that any other suitable materialsuch as unglazed terra-cotta, clay, glass, wood, pr any other compound material-may be employed in the construction withoutdeviating t'rom the principles of my invention.

Upon the outer or convex surface of the shell or inverted trough (as it may be designated) A is formed a series of longitudinal grooves, B B, of sufiicient depth to receive and hold the telegraphfwires without danger of their being displaced or comingin contact with each other. The edges of the supports are preferably provided with outward-projecting danges C, but this is not necessary or essential.

D D represent a second series of supports, constructed substantiallylike the supports A- that is to say, inverted-trough-shaped-and provided upon their outer or convex sides with longitudinal grooves for the support of wires. They may also be provided at their lower edges with flanges E, by which they may be supported upon the danges C of the supports A, over which they are constructed to tit, as clearly shown in Fig. l of the drawings; but said tlanges may be omitted, as they perform no important or essential function.

Additional tiers or strata of supports may in practice be employed in the construction ot my improved telegraph-lilies, but in the drawings hereto annexed I have shown only the two A and I), just described, this being sufficient in order to illustrate the principle of my invention. The uppermost tier or series of supports is covered by a series of caps, F, the edges of which may be tlangcd or not, as may be desired. One end of each of the caps F may also be provided with a auge overlapping the unflanged end of the cap next adjoining.

The method of laying my improved telegraph-lines is preferably as follows: Atrench of suitable dimensions is prepared and provided with a fioor or base, G, of asphalt, concrete, or other suitable material, or this may be omitted and the bottom of the trench simply tamped hard. In the bottom of this trench the supports A are laid, in a longitudinal row, a distance apartsomewhat less than the length ot' the supports D. The wires, which are denoted by letter H, are then placed in position in the grooves B. Ihen glazed terra-cotta is used iu the construction of the supports this will be found sufficient to isolate the wires,

and ordinary galvanizediron wires may be used instead ot' the far more expensive insulated wires usually employed in the construction of underground-lines. Covering-caps F may now be placed directly over the supports A and the trench filled up; but when a second tier or series of supports is necessary, in order to accom modate the number of wires, these supports D are placed over and supported upon the ends of thesupports A, asclearlyshown inFig.2ofthe drawings. The upper wires, which are denoted by I, are then placed in position. By this arrangement it will be observed that when the covering-caps are removed the wires H and I are all exposed to view, and any one of them may be readily reached without disturbing the IOO others. A great saving of material is also effected, which of course is an item of very considerable importance. Additional courses or strata of supports may be added before the covering-caps are placedv in position. Snell courses or strata are to be arranged in a similar manner to that just described, and while of course the lower strata are thereby covered out of sight they may easily be reached at any particular point, without disturbing the upper wires, by simply sliding the upper supports aside until the wire or wires sought for are uncovered.

While I have in the foregoing described the supports as being semi-cylindrical in shape, I would have it distinctly understood that I do not wish to confine myself to this, or to any particular shape. rlhe lowermost supports need not be concave or hollow upon the under side. 'lhcy may be solid or massive, and this may be found desirable when a number of courses or series of supports are to be used. Nor need their outer grooved sides be semicircularin cross-seetion. They maybe angular, or of any desired shape, always provided, however, that their sides should slope down to their edges in order that all the wires used may be fully or sufficiently exposed to view when uncovered. As for the supports constituting the upper strata, itis only necessary' or desirable that their'under sides should conform in shape to the upper sides of those next below, their upper sides sloping down to the edges, as stated.

As for the method of laying the line, the 35 construction of the trench is quite immaterial. rlhe coveringcaps need not be covered up with soil or dirt, as they may be made of sufficient. strength and so arranged as to afford adequate protection; and while, for many reasons, 4o I consider the method of laying the courses of supports herein described to be preferable,

I do not wish to confine myself to the same, and the supports forming each course may he laid close together, or any desired distance 45 apart.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent ot' the United States- In a conduit for electric wires, the combina- 5o tion, with the covers F, of two or more series of longitudinally-grooved and hollowinvertedtrough-shaped supports, arranged one within the other, as described, the supports of the same series being placed at some distance 55 apart, so that the upper series may be slid aside, while still sustaining the wires resting upon them, to uncover the wires resting on the series below, substai'ltially as set forth.

ln testimony whereofl atiix my signature in 6o presence of two witnesses.

CH RISTIAN II. IIANSEJ.

Witnesses:

WM. Bacana, Guo. F. GRAHAM. 

